Page 102 of Regency in Color

Chapter Seven

The Duke of Bodmin was nothing if not a gentleman.

In the panic caused by the dowager duchess fainting, Andie was able to return to the party without notice as Frank stayed behind and attempted to reattach his collar without a mirror. Once their mother was settled, Will quietly returned to assist him.

“I see nothing’s changed,” Will said as he took over from Frank, attaching the collar with little trouble.

Impatient to find Andie, Frank retorted, “You’re one to talk. You were worse than the rest of us combined.”

Will lowered his voice as he handed Frank his rumpled cravat. “I never fucked an heiress on a seventeenth-century fortepiano. You do realize that’s the oldest one in the world?”

Of course he did. He was the one who insisted they buy it. “I dimly recalled.” Frank took the cravat and rapidly tied it. “How long do you suppose I have before her father shoots me?”

“Months. He’s in St. Croix on business, but I’m sure her brother will oblige.” Will crossed his arms with a sigh. “Meet me in the study when you’ve straightened yourself up.”

Once Will had left, Frank drank a glass of water and combed his fingers through his hair. Whatever came next was bound to wretched, but he needed to find Andie first to be sure she was all right.

The party was much as he’d left it. If anything, more people were there, and no one seemed to have any idea that anything out of the ordinary had taken place. He found Andie sitting beside the drinks table with Lulu, happily chatting to his daughter about something he couldn’t quite hear. Seeing them sitting together hit him in a way he wasn’t expecting; he’d long since accepted he would probably never marry, but the of having a family with Andie and Lulu was too divine to bear.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Andie looked up and smiled.

Frank’s view of her was cut off quite suddenly by her brother Alexandre stepping between them. Though he smiled pleasantly, his eyes were intense. “Frank! It’s been an age. Let’s go talk somewhere a bit more private, shall we?”

* * *

Six days.

It had been six days, and Andie hadn’t heard a word from anyone.

Alone in her room, she stood by the window, watching the street for any familiar faces. While her mother still didn’t know exactly what had happened—Lord Bodmin had only privately told Alex that there was been an indiscretion with his brother, but he thankfully did not go into detail—she thought it best for Andie to remain at home until they had decided on the best course of action.

Apart from Lord Bodmin, no one really knew anything, but speculation could be just as damaging. Fortunately, when the dowager duchess had come to and started muttering about her supposedly dead son and the opera singer, the other guests had simply assumed she’d lost her wits in the fall.

Andie missed Frank. Tonight was supposed to be their first real performance together. He’d arranged for a stage to preview their new show after the military parade that night. Would he find someone to fill in for her, or would he cancel?

“Love is patient…”Andie hummed to herself, hearing his voice singing in her head.

A light knock interrupted her thoughts.

Alex came in, an enormous striped hatbox under his arm. He set it on the edge of her bed and joined her at the window. “How are you feeling?”

Andie crossed her arms. “Lonely. Frustrated. I have a show tonight I should be rehearsing for, you realize.”

“You don’t have to go to that,” Alex soothed. “There will be other parts.” From the look on his face, it was clear he thought he was being helpful.

“I want this part. I want to see Frank,” she insisted. “What exactly did you discuss?”

Alex sat in the chair at her dressing table, clearly uncomfortable. “Bodmin declared that Frank ought to marry you. I said it was quite out of the question. He can’t hope to keep you in the manner to which you are accustomed. Naturally, your dowry would be substantial, but that’s not the point. We’ll not force you to marry a villain who would take advantage of you.”

She looked at him, incredulous. “Oh, Alex, what have you done? He didn’t take advantage of me; I took advantage of him! I’m in love with him, you idiot!”

Her brother’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious.” He looked at her, trying to ascertain if she was joking. “But he’s so…odd.”

“So am I!” she shouted. “What did he say to all of this?”

Still dazed, Alex inclined his head and continued. “He said he was more than willing to marry you, but that he appreciated you’d have to give up a great deal. He said he would never ask you to make such a sacrifice, and we considered the matter quite settled. He’s not to see you again.”

Andie’s scream was so loud, it cracked the glass on her dresser.